Bands played music, supporters cheered and sang and demonstrators carried a large protest banner as they were halted a short distance from the nationalist Ardoyne area. Some supporters held Union flag umbrellas against the rain.

Marchers will once again stop at police lines on the Woodvale Road - preventing them from moving onto the Crumlin Road and past the Ardoyne shops.

Last year serious rioting broke out in the area, leaving dozens of police officers injured as they attempted to quell a violent stand-off at the interface.

Up to 50 protest parades were planned by the Orange Order across Northern Ireland today in response to the determination by the Parades Commission to once again stop marchers from passing by the Ardoyne shop fronts.

This morning, the outgoing leg of the march passed off without serious incident.

Earlier today , Chief Constable George Hamilton - who toured the security operation in north Belfast - said he was cautiously optimistic about the chances of a peaceful return parade in the area.

"I think we are in as good a place as we can be just now," he told the BBC.

"I'm optimistic, but it's a cautious optimism and I'm just hoping that people take responsibility for their own actions and they need to understand that, as I've said throughout the past couple of weeks, the police will do our piece to keep people safe and also to collect evidence where people step outside of the law."

As many as 3,500 PSNI officers have been deployed across Northern Ireland.

Around a third of those will be in north Belfast as those from across the political spectrum hope the large police presence will not be required.

Meanwhile across Belfast and Northern Ireland thousands lined the streets for the annual Twelfth parades.

Around 50,000 Orangemen and band members attended 17 Twelfth demonstrations organised by the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland.

In Belfast, lodges from nine districts and some 90 bands will make their way from Clifton Street along the six-mile route to the field at Barnett Desmesne.